Aberystwyth War Memorial FWW Surnames Q-Z

The following men from the Aberystwyth area died in active service. With thanks to Steven John

  • David Lewis Richards, Private, 46064, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Born at Llangynfelyn in 1887, son of Jane Richards. David later resided with his mother at Grove House, North Road, Aberystwyth. He had only been in Belgium a few weeks when he was shot in the head while in the front line. He died at Proven on 27 October 1916, aged 19. Buried at Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
  • Henry Morgan Richards, Private, 31742, Welsh Regiment. Son of Morgan and Mary Anne Richards, of 6 Little Dark Gate Street, Aberystwyth. Enlisted at Aberystwyth into 15th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, the Carmarthen Pals battalion, attached to 114 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. Killed on 30 July 1917, on the eve of the attack on Pilckem Ridge, Belgium. He was 39, and is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
  • Hugh Owen Rowe, Pioneer, 82545, Royal Engineers. Hugh, who was known locally as Hughie, was born in Aberystwyth in 1896, son of John Hugh Rowe, musical director of the town band, and Elizabeth Rowe of Glencairn North Road, Aberystwyth. Hughie played football for Aberystwyth Town FC. He enlisted in 1915 into the Royal Engineers, and was posted to France early in 1916, joining the 8th Division Signal Company, Royal Engineers. In March 1918 the Division fought at the Battle of St Quentin. Hughie contracted influenza and was evacuated to Etaples. He died, aged 22, of influenza at the 51st General Hospital, Etaples, on 5 May 1918. Buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
  • Evan David Rowlands, Lance Corporal, 19964, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Born 1889, son of Evan and Anne Rowlands, of 13 Bridge Street, Aberystwyth. Enlisted into the Welsh Regiment but was transferred to the 16th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The battalion was attached to 113 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. Evan was gassed during fighting around the Canal du Nord, France, and was evacuated to Etaples. He contracted influenza and pneumonia and died on 31 October 1918, aged 29. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
  • James Rowlands, Private, 4660, Australian Infantry. Born 1885, son of William and Margaret Rowlands, of 9 North Parade, Aberystwyth. He emigrated in 1912 and became a bank clerk in Melbourne. On 21 August 1915 he enlisted into the 7th Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. James was killed by a shell at Broodseinde, Belgium, on 4 October 1917. He was 32 years old and was buried on the battlefield. His grave was later located, and his body moved to Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium. During his army career he had been court martialled several times for being absent without leave, and was reduced from Corporal to Private after a spell in prison.
  • James Frederick Samuel, Second Lieutenant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Born 1897, son of Evan Isaac and Julia Alice Samuel, of Prospect House, 58 Cambrian Street, Aberystwyth. He enlisted into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was quickly promoted to Lance Corporal. He was commissioned on 26 June 1917 into the 13th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, attached to 113 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. On 22 April 1918, 113 Brigade was ordered to capture the heights of Bouzincourt Ridge, France. In so doing, the 13th Royal Welsh Fusiliers lost six officers and 62 men of other ranks. Among the dead was James, who is buried in Bouzincourt Ridge Cemetery.
  • Thomas George Silcock, 103DA, Royal Naval Reserve. Born in 1897, son of James and Elizabeth Silcock, of 12 Penmaesglas Street, Aberystwyth. Served during the war with the Royal Naval Reserve, as a deck hand on minesweepers. He was 23 years old when he died on 9 November 1918. He was buried in Aberystwyth Cemetery with full military honours.
  • James Stephens, Private, 84505, Royal Army Medical Corps. Son of William and Mary Elizabeth Stephens, of 3 Spring Gardens, Trefechan, Aberystwyth. Enlisted at Aberystwyth on 19 September 1916 into the Royal Army Medical Corps. Arriving in France, he joined the 58th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, attached to the 19th (Western) Division. James had only been at the front a few days when he was killed on 18 April 1918 while working as a stretcher bearer. Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. See below for details of his father and brother, both killed in the war.
  • William Owen Stephens, Driver, Royal Field Artillery. Born in Aberystwyth in 1867, son of Owen and Jane Stephens. Husband of Mary Elizabeth Stephens. The couple had several children, two of whomdied in the war. William was a former territorial. In March 1915, aged 46, he joined the Cardigan Battery (Reserves) and in Cardiff. He soon fell ill, and died of a fever three days later. He was buried with full military honours in Roath Churchyard. 
  • William Thomas Stephens, Private, 27352, South Wales Borderers. Son of William and Mary Stephens, brother of James, above. William worked in the National Library of Wales. He enlisted in 1916 and joined the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, attached to 87 Brigade, 29th Division. William was killed during the Battalion’s attack on Langemarck, Belgium, on 16 August 1917. He was 20, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
  • Thomas Stephenson, 25713, Battery Sergeant Major, Royal Field Artillery. Born at Newark, Nottinghamshire, in 1869. Married Bessie in 1901 and became a postman in Aberystwyth in 1912. The couple lived with their five children at 13 Alexandra Road. Tom was an army pensioner who had served in many countries during 18 years with the colours. At the outbreak of the Great War he rejoined the Royal Field Artillery at Aberystwyth. He was posted to the 34th Division Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery on 4 May 1915. He was invalided out of the army on 6 December 1916, and died at Aberystwyth in the third quarter of 1917, aged 47. Tom is not commemorated by the CWGC.
  • Harold Sylvanus Thomas, Private, 9909, Honourable Artillery Company. Born at Aberystwyth, son of John and Margaret Thomas, of Granville, 1 North Parade. Lived in St Clears and worked as a bank clerk, before enlisting at Carmarthen on 8 December 1915. He joined the 2nd Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company, attached to 22 Brigade, 7th Division. Harold died on 15 May 1917, during the Battle of Bullecourt, after being shot in the head. He was 25 years old, and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
  • Joseph Thomas DCM MM, Sergeant, 3238, Royal Scots. Born in 1888, son of John and Elizabeth Thomas, of Llanbadarn. Married Christina Yeardly and lived with her at Cardigan. He was an army reservist, and at the outbreak of war joined the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, at Fife. He landed in France with the battalion in 1914, attached to 8 Brigade, 3rd Division. The Division took part in the “Christmas Truce” on 25 December 1914 and remained at Ypres, Belgium, throughout the winter. Joseph was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal “for conspicuous gallantry when leading his section in a bombing attack in face of heavy bomb and rifle fire”. He returned to Llanbadarn to recuperate from illness but was back in France on 13 April 1916, joining the 12th Battalion, Royal Scots, attached to 27 Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. Joseph was killed on 12 April 1917, during the Battle of the Scarpe. He was 29 years old, and is buried at Brown's Copse Cemetery, Rouex, France.
  • J Thomas, Mercantile Marine. 
  • George James Vearey, Private, 29610, South, Wales Borderers. Born in 1884, son of James and Mary Vearey, of 17 Northgate Street, Aberystwyth. He married Margaret Ann Rees, of Half-Way Inn, Trerddol, Glandyfi, in Aberystwyth in 1917, shortly before embarking for France. There he joined the 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, attached to 3 Brigade, 1st Division. George was killed on 10 November 1917, during the Second Battle of Passchendaele. He was 33. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
  • Thomas Rees Warrington, Private, 11413, South Wales Borderers. Born in 1896, son of Edward Lloyd Warrington and Margaret Warrington (nee Jones), of 4 Fountain Road, Trefechan, Aberystwyth. A member of the Skinner Street Sunday School. Landing in France on 4 January 1915, he joined the 1st Battalion, South Wales Borders, attached to 3 Brigade, 1st Division. The Division was at Loos over the winter of 1915-1916. On 22 February 1916, under the cover of the snow, a party was sent out to recover the bodies of several comrades which had lain in No Man's Land for several weeks. Thomas was killed during this operation. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. 
  • Stanley West, Private, 18358, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Born 1880, son of Arthur and Hannah West, of Aberystwyth. Lived with his wife, Margaret Ellen West, at 1 Lledfam Place, Machynlleth. Enlisted at Machynlleth into the 8th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, attached to 40 Brigade, 13th (Western) Division. By 27 March 1916, the Division had assembled near Sheikh Saad and came under orders of the Tigris Corps. It then took part in attempts to relieve Kut-al-Amara from Turkish siege. Stanley died of fever on 1 July 1916, during the long trek through the desert. He was 36 years old, and is buried in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq.
  • Harry White, Sapper, 108108, Royal Engineers. Born in 1895, son of George and Sarah White, of 15 Thespian Street, Aberystwyth. Enlisted at Aberystwyth in 1914 into the 10th (Rhondda) Battalion, Welsh Regiment, giving his occupation as blacksmith. Harry was transferred to the 123rd Field Company, Royal Engineers on 24 November 1914, and became a shoeing smith. The company was attached to the 38th (Welsh) Division. Harry was wounded by shrapnel in Belgium on 17 September 1917. He leg was amputated at a Casualty Clearing Station and he returned to Britain. His leg became septic, and a further amputatation was carried out. After suffering for several months, Harry died at the Barry Military Hospital, Northampton, on 15 February 1918, aged 22. Buried with full military honours in Llanbadarn Road Cemetery.
  • Thomas James White, Royal Field Artillery. Born 1893, son of James and Agnes White, of 13 Poplar Row, Aberystwyth. He served with the Royal Field Artillery and died in Aberystwyth in summer 1918, aged 23.
  • David Williams, Captain, Mercantile Marine.
  • Richard Emrys Williams, Air Mechanic, 82050, Royal Air Force. Born 1898, son of Thomas Richard and Mary Ann Williams, of Argyle House, Chalybeate Street, Aberystwyth. He served in 99 Squadron, which was formed at Yatesbury, Wiltshire, on 15 August 1917. It was equipped with de Havilland DH9 bombers, and moved to France to form part of the Independent Air Force. Richard survived the war but died on 18 March 1919, aged 21. He was buried in Valenciennes Communal Cemetery, France. He may have been killed by the Spanish Flu pandemic.
  • William Williams, Private, 4931, Australian Imperial Forces. Son of Daniel and Elizabeth Williams of 1 Williams Street, Aberystwyth. William was a sailor and emigrated to Australia aged 14, along with his brother. Williams lived with his wife, Sarah Ann Williams, at Freemantle, Western Australia. Enlisted in 1916 into the 11th Battalion, Australian Infantry. Killed in action at Polygon Wood on 29 September 1917. Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
  • Ernest Worthington, Private, 22723, Welsh Regiment. Born on 11 December 1897, son of Ronald and Annie Worthington, of More Lane, Aberystwyth. On his 17th birthday, Ernest enlisted at Aberystwyth into the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. He was wounded in action three times, and was killed at Messines on 7 August 1917, aged 19. Buried in Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, Belgium.